So The Cramming Begins...

If you live in a country, no matter for how long, you're going to want to know the language, at least a bit.

I'm not sure how much of culturally diverse communities all of you are in, but where I am, there are a lot of foreign immigrants. They're really cool, and good friends, people from everywhere! Korea, China, Mexico, El Salvador (sadly the only Japanese I see are exchange students D:)
There's only one common problem... the language barrier!!

I have a few Korean friends that it's difficult to really communicate and be good friends with them because they don't speak English very well, so I always think to myself.... I wonder if I'll be like that in Japan? But I talk to my friends fine.. most of the time.

The only thing I can do in this next six months is study, study, study, so that's what I have begun to do(even more so). Anyone can study. Anytime. It just takes willpower and patience. And there's no such thing as 'I don't have time'.

I have a few Japanese books, but they're a little too easy for me. One of the bigger aspects of Japanese I'm focusing on right now is kanji. Learn kanji, you could learn words, but it opens up so much more, literacy-wise. I can read many kanji, but I can't write them very well off memory. I've started writing daily in a journal, but that doesn't mean I know all of the reading. I was looking at kanji lists for grade 1~6, and then junior high... it gets a little overwhelming, but I'm sure I can do it. I want to at least MASTER up to grade three level kanji.
I made this folder thing, and for Japanese, I have three sections. Kanji, Vocabulary, and Grammar. There's also a part for things for my exchange program.  It helps me to write everything down, I retain more information.
Now, when I want to study, I can take this out and start studying wherever I want. In class at school, on break at work, waiting for a bus... it doesn't matter where.

The only real thing for studying I have in it right now is the Grade 1 Kanji. I put the kanji at the top along with the meaning, the on'yomi, the kun'yomi, and the radical. The site that I got all the information on will be on the 'Useful Japanese Resources' page.





With ASSE, I've been receiving information letters and been communicating with them for the past little while. I have up to their information letter #4, out of 10. They're handy little letters, with information about what to expect, host families, packing, a look into school life... I also got a country fact sheet. I'm always excited to read more information letters! I can't believe there's only six months left until my exchange...
School here has started, it's about two weeks in already! Time goes by so fast. >.<

Thanks for reading~!

Ashley.